So sorry about not updating sooner, but as I said, finals are the priority. Nonetheless, thank you to those who have reviewed; knowing you guys are still enjoying is what's keeping me updating, and trust me, I'm finding little time pockets here and there to do so lol, so make sure you review, please? Otherwise I'll think nobody's really waiting for the next chapter…Well anyway, here's chapter twenty five, I even made it a bit longer, enjoy!

I do not own any of Stephanie Meyer's work, solely the plot and some new faces.

**********************Oliver*******************************************

I could feel my heart rate quicken as Renesmee guided me away from the celebration and towards a deserted side porch. She let go of my hand while she let down the drapes and closed the sliding door.

We were out of sight and alone.

I could feel other urges starting to kick in and focused on holding them back; I knew Edward would still be listening. Renesmee must know this too…why was she bringing me out here?...I mean, don't get me wrong, I would've loved to do stuff but given the circumstances it probably wouldn't be the best idea. She suddenly turned to me.

"Oliver," she said, coming over to stand by me, "there were some things I wanted to ask you."

Oh, I thought, that's what all this was about…

"First of all," she said, "what exactly are we?"

I smiled at her; this was an easy one. "Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to say you were my girlfriend," I said, taking her hand in mine, she blushed, looking at me through shy eyes.

"Ok then," she said, then, "that was the hard one I think."

The hard one?

"So," she continued, "now that it's official…" she paused, "are you still going to insist on not telling Jake about it?"

Uh oh, as far as she thought, this was the easy question, a simple yes or no…I gulped.

"Renesmee," I said, thinking how best to explain without revealing anything, "I don't think that would be such a good idea."

She let go of my hand and crossed her arms over her chest—that was the wrong thing to do, my eyes immediately noticed her sudden cleavage, I forced them back up to her face.

"Any why not?" she asked, no longer blushing.

I hesitated…I guess half of the truth would be alright…

"Because I think he might get jealous," I said. Alright, that's good, its part of the truth, direct and simple…

"Jealous of what exactly?" her eyes narrowed. I stammered.

"Oh I don't know exactly," I said, avoiding her eyes, "I mean, I know you guys are best friends and all, but…" I racked my brain for something sensible, "let's just say you don't know him as well as you think you do."

I glanced at her eyes and regretted it.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" she asked through gritted teeth.

I faltered as I spoke my next words, "Well, he is a guy, you know, and some guys have… urges, you know, some more than others," I paused, watching her reaction, though thus far she seemed at ease, angry still, but not 'angrier." It gave me confidence, so I continued, "Jacob is one of those others, if you know what I mean. Sometimes as a wolf, his thoughts are all about, well you know, that kind of stuff, how he wants to be with a girl, and…stuff?"

Renesmee's eyes were suddenly not 'Renesmee's eyes.' These new eyes blazed with a fire I had never seen before. "So you're saying he's a guy, I know that. What does it have to do with you and me?"

"I just thought, you know, what with him being such a pervert—"

"A what?!" she suddenly exclaimed. I stepped away from her; for that moment she looked as scary as a vampire.

"So let me guess? You think just because he's my best friend and a guy he's going to get jealous of us because he wants to be getting the action that you already got?!" she hissed at me. I was inwardly grateful that she kept her voice down, though I couldn't say the same about her reaction.

"Not exactly, it's just, well you guys are so close," I was stuttering, "I just didn't want to risk it. Can you imagine how bad he'd kick my—"

"Oh so this is about you?" she said, I could see her eyes starting to glisten, water that coexisted with the raging fire…Crap, she's going to cry.

"No, Renesmee, listen I—"

"No," she said, now quite in my face and utterly quiet, "you listen. Jake is my best friend. FRIEND! Nothing else. For you to even think he'd want anything to do with me like," she sputtered, "like that! You're absolutely unbelievable!" She was pouring by this time, and I felt my whole world falling apart knowing it was my fault.

"And to think I actually liked you," she was saying, her hands balled into fists, "and a lot! I can't believe you, Oliver. You seemed so nice, and caring," she sniffled, "and the worst part is, I still like you!"

I felt my heart give a hopeful flutter, maybe there was still hope…

"But," she continued—oh no, there was a 'but'—"Jake has been there for me since I was born. If you can't trust him with us, then I guess there can't be an us."

No! This wasn't supposed to happen!

"Renesmee," I pleaded, "please, don't do this. You know we have something here, something amazing," and right there I decided, "I'm sorry about saying that about Jake. Let's tell him, please, I can't lose you before…" I faltered.

Her eyes gleamed. "Before what?" she snapped.

I was desperate, realizing for the first time how much I really did want her, how I needed her. She was by far the best thing that had ever happened to me, and if I blew it now, I would never have a chance to be with her. There were no second chances when an imprint was involved.

"Before you choose someone else," I finished lamely. She looked confused, tears continuing down her delicate face. Even sobbing she was beautiful. She was about to say something when—

"Oliver I think you should go back to the party," a familiar voice said. Edward.

But I—

"Now, Oliver," this time it was Bella, she was hugging Renesmee to her, looking at me through narrowed eyes. I knew it would be pointless—and possibly dangerous—to argue, so left with my head bowed, fighting back my own set of tears. I was afraid I had just lost the only girl that could ever make me happy…

***************************Mystery Girl*******************************

"So it is settled then. She will be there by nightfall, today or tomorrow, it won't matter. The girl will have already realized her feelings by then. We will set the bait, and the shape-shifter will have no choice but to fight. Because of the imprint she will do whatever it takes to kill her."

"But," my accomplice asked, "why did you have Jeanine stay away from us? You know the little fortune teller may see this?"

I laughed, "It does not matter. Don't you see? With Jeanine's dome placed protectively over there, the wolves won't be able to help him, otherwise she'd die right away and the girl won't have to fight at all."

He nodded. "Right, so that was the plan all along. I see," he suddenly smiled at me, "you are quite brilliant. Master will reward you greatly."

I smirked at him. "Let's just hope all goes according to plan. Renesmee will not escape this time."

***************************Jacob************************************

I heard it like it was glass breaking in my ear, Renesmee crying. I immediately excused myself with Charlie and made my way towards her. I wasn't sure why she'd be crying at a merry time like now, but I had a bad feeling about it, plus, nobody messes with my Nessie.

I was just about to round the corner into the living room when I bumped into Oliver. He mumbled something incoherent and rushed past me towards who knows where; I didn't care, reaching Nessie and making her feel better was all that mattered.

I knew where it was coming from, the side porch, however, just as I was about to slide open the glass pane door, a cold tiny hand grabbed my shoulder. I turned around, knowing already who it was.

Alice and Jasper stood before me, Alice looking at me with fear in her eyes. "Jacob," she said, "you have to go."

I didn't understand her. I had to go? But Nessie was crying! I had to comfort her…I ignored her and made to slide the door open again, but this time a different hand stopped me.

"No, Jacob," Jasper insisted, his mouth in a tight line, "you have to go now. Alice had a vision, and if you don't get away now, Nessie could be in danger."

I felt my heart fall into my toes. "But, she's crying—"

Alice nodded her head. "It's fine, Edward is comforting her. She just had a little fight with Oliver."

Oliver?

But Alice was already steering me away. "Never mind that Jacob. The decision has been made. They've been protected all this time by someone named Jeanine, though I have yet to figure out how exactly." She nodded her head as I continued to move with a dazed expression. "It doesn't matter now, all that matters is that you get away. I'll explain later. Here," she handed me a phone, "don't make any calls, wait for mine. Get away from Forks, from Seattle. No! Don't tell me where you're going, just go." She pleaded with her eyes, and I finally got the hint: I had to leave or something bad was going to happen to Nessie. I felt a lump in my throat.

"Can I even say good bye?" I asked in a small voice, already at the door, though I had a feeling I already knew the answer.

"I'm so sorry Jacob," said Alice, a pained look on her face, "but the less Nessie knows the better. I'll come up with something."

I could feel the tears streaming down my face; just as things had started to look up for us, I had to leave her, I had to leave Nessie, the only reason my heart beat at all.

It hurt like nothing I'd ever felt before, and I remembered Edward, the burning man. I took the phone from Alice and nodded, then turned away from the 'happy' celebration and into the dark forest.

***********************Edward*******************************

My heart ached with the desolate expressions painted on the two women in my life. Nessie was heartbroken, as young and harmless as their relationship had seemed, it was still complete pain for her fragile and virgin mind. She shook in Bella's arms; Bella looked just as pained, but for different reasons. For her only daughter to be so hurt with the simple implication that Jacob was a pervert…it could only mean one thing…Nessie really was starting to fall for Jacob; she wasn't aware of it, though I had seen the connections being made whilst she thought.

Jacob being her best friend…Jacob having 'urges'…Jacob being jealous…Jacob wanting her, Nessie, in that way…

I knew that even though she could never believe her best friend thought of her that way, deep down she already suspected it, her own mixed up feelings being one of the causes. Oliver had brought out these suspicions into a blurry light, despite his intentions of keeping the truth hidden; he'd tried to display Jacob as some kind of creepy sex-driven male, never considering that Nessie wasn't capable of seeing Jacob that way, not her Jacob.

But now that the idea was out, that Jacob might've been jealous because he saw Nessie like that…

It made sense to everything, and despite her unwillingness to believe it, Nessie was a bit afraid, afraid that what Oliver had said was true, afraid that whatever it was she had with Jake could get completely messed up, all because of confused allegations and feelings…

And if that wasn't bad enough, Nessie still had very strong feelings for Oliver, and this surprised me the most. She was already convincing herself, whilst crying in Bella's arms, that they'd just had their first argument, that she should go and apologize right away, that even though his accusation held no merit, she would go along with not telling Jake anything, as long as she could still feel the way only Oliver made her feel…

She reminded me so much of Bella, always blaming herself, trying to do the right thing to make someone else feel better…what would she do when she found out the truth about Jacob? Surely things would work out? I went over to take my sobbing daughter from Bella; Nessie curled into my arms, her sobs finally subsiding. She sent me her thoughts despite my being able to read them, confiding in me openly.

Daddy, is it true? What Oliver said? Does Jake really feel like that?

I didn't know what to say to her. She was barely going to be thirteen, she was too young…

"I don't know, Nessie," I said slowly, "that's something only Jacob can tell you." I hoped with all that I was that Jacob would do the right thing should she ask.

She nodded in understanding. Daddy…is Oliver mad at me?

I sighed and smiled at the same time. "No, sweetie, he's actually very sad. He thinks he's blown it completely with you."

She looked hopeful, her thoughts going immediately to Oliver, to find him and make up. I was a bit disappointed, I have to admit; then again, I suppose being the daughter of Bella and myself, it made sense for her to be selfless yet impulsive. She looked up at me expectantly, waiting for some kind of response.

I hugged her close to me, before pulling her back. "He's out front on the porch."

She smiled a dazzling smile and hugged me harder. Thank you for understanding daddy, I know it's stupid…but I like him.

I smiled after her retreating figure and looked over at Bella, remembering my own stupidity of being in love with a human…I knew exactly what she meant.

All of a sudden it hit me, the plan and the implications it held for Nessie, for Jacob, for all of us…and I turned immediately towards Alice who had just come through the door.

***

I know, I know, another cliffhanger, I'm sorry, but it happens. This is the beginning of the major conflict (besides Nessie's love triangle) with the 'mystery people.' I will do my best to update as soon as I can. Thank you to all my reviewers, you guys keep me going! More reviews would be nice though…lol, thanks.